2 Ugandan doctors held in Botswana

Parliament. Authorities in Botswana are holding two Ugandan doctors and have indicated that the duo is bound for deportation after completion of an inquest into cases they refused to reveal to the relatives.The doctors, Eli Musinguzi and Brian Mutebi, the Daily Monitor, understands, were arrested last week on Thursday over their alleged connections to a private clinic near the capital Gaborone; which was thereafter closed by police for “illegally operating.”

Dr Musinguzi, who has lived in Botswana for seven years and worked at the country’s national referral, Princes Marina Hospital, for three years, has not been working at the private clinic, but his colleague, Dr Mutebi has worked there as full time staff.

Wrongful arrest?The clinic is reportedly owned by another doctor, Mr Emmanuel Niwagaba, who was apparently out of the country at the time police reined in.Ms Rose Musinguzi, wife to Dr Musinguzi, described the situation as “worrying” saying both the police and immigration authorities have to this date not communicated the charges against her husband.“Dr Musinguzi wasn’t working at the clinic. I was told by the receptionist at the clinic that the police saw him coming from the clinic at one time. The police then asked for his contacts from the receptionist and later called him to the police station,” she said.

She said the police later told him to surrender his passport and detained him. “I have met several officials but I have not got any answers yet he was employed by the Botswana government,” Ms Musinguzi said.“The only thing I have seen briefly is an order letter, purportedly from the office of the president, stating that he has been banished from the country and that he will be deported soon,” she said. Uganda’s Consul in Botswana Sebastian Okello-Wengi said he has met the families of the victims and held talks with several authorities who have promised to give him feedback.

“I have met with officials in Foreign Affairs here and they are studying the situation,” Dr Wengi said on telephone.Attempts to reach the head of department of immigration management were futile, as the in-charge, Mr Mabuse Pule and his deputy, Ms Flora Lekoko, were reported out of office.

However, an immigration official, who declined to be named, said they were not aware of the offence the two doctors had committed, saying they simply received an order to have them deported.Botswana Consul in Kampala Mario Odido DiFonzo said the matter should not be treated as xenophobia or malice.